Bayside Poker Run enjoys another successful year

Pictured: The crew of Mark Lusby’s Speed Queen won the 2025 Bayside Poker Run skills competition by amassing the most points among the 41 boats entered. Pictured front left to right are Anna Sexauer and Grace Tankard. Pictured on the back row are Logan Duer, Mark and Brook Lusby, Brook and Pete Duer, Will Sexauer and Luke Duer.

Boating Fun Aids Community Projects

By Bill Sterling

The 2025 Bayside Poker Run held on Saturday, July 26 was a great success on a boating day featuring light winds and calm seas. This exciting event involved small boats cruising the Chesapeake Bay in a navigational competition that included Onancock, Pungoteague, Nandua and Occohannock creeks. This 19th annual event was sponsored jointly by the Onancock Rotary Club and the Pungoteague Ruritan Club.

Following the Blessing of the Fleet and a captains meeting, boaters spent a day on the bay locating six checkpoints and two mystery locations. Boaters gathered to attend the awards celebration at the Eastern Shore Yacht and Country Club on Pungoteague Creek at the end of the day’s adventures.

This year’s small boat competition once again included the ‘Chesapeake Challenge’ in the navigational component of the event. This challenge required the crew of each boat to compete in a physical or nautical activity at each checkpoint. When the final points were tabulated, the Speed Queen captained by Mark Lusby topped the leaderboard with 200 points and claimed the $500 prize. Tying for second with 181 points each were the crew of Pirate Booty captained by Matthew Freeze and the crew of Couch Potato with Capt. Stephen Joseph. The best poker hand for a weekend vacation trip was won by Lisa and Tyler HInman on the Liquid Therapy with J.D. and Melissa Outten onboard.

The Onancock Rotary Club and the Pungoteague Ruritan Club can contribute to community service outreach activities and also award college scholarships to local students thanks to the generosity of the sponsors that included Blue Crab Bay, Anchors Down Seafood Company, Keith Lilliston State Farm, The Island House Restaurant, John Fiege CFP, Williams Funeral Home, Atlantic Animal Hospital, Mallards at the Wharf, Davis Disposal. Pattie Brogen, One Presidential Mortgage, Edward Jones, Bundick Well and Pump, Lusby’s Appliances, David’s Nursery, Taylor Bank, Matthew Freeze Painting Co., Pep Up, Preston  Ford and Boggs Water & Sewage.

Additional local businesses contributed dock prizes won by captains and crew members, including Eastern Shore Animal Hospital, H.W. Drummond, , Davis Wharf Marine, Exmore Western Auto, Sea Hawk Sports Center, Eastern Shore Outfitters, Sandpiper Marine, Seaworthy Marine, Delmarva Marine Solutions, YMCA Eastern Shore and Shore Tire & Auto

In addition to thanking the businesses for their contributions, event coordinator Courtney Nottingham also expressed appreciation to the Eastern Shore Post,  WESR Radio, East Point Marina, Bill and Dawn Daughtery, Tom Weeks, the Procter and Shelly families, Cokesberry, Davis Wharf Marine, the Moore families and Portable Solutions, and the Eastern Shore Yacht and Country Club for helping to make the event possible.